Fluid calming member

ABSTRACT

A fluid calming member ( 18, 118, 218 ) for use in a fluid carrying arrangement ( 10 ) is disclosed. The fluid calming member is formed of a material that includes a porous metallic material.

This invention relates to fluid calming members. More particularly, butnot exclusively, the invention relates to fluid calming members in fluidchambers in gas turbine engines. This invention may also relate to fluidchambers. This invention may relate to processes for forming fluidcalming members.

Embodiments of the invention relate to fluid calming formations such asbaffles and shrouds which are used in gas turbine engines to controlfluid recirculation, thereby reducing heat generation. A disadvantage ofknown formations is that they can create splashing of the fluid therebyreducing their efficiency in reducing heat generation.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a fluidcalming member for use in a fluid carrying arrangement, wherein thefluid calming member comprises a porous metallic material.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a fluidcarrying arrangement comprising a wall defining a space for a fluid, anda fluid calming member in the space, wherein the fluid calming membercomprises a porous metallic material.

The phrase “fluid carrying arrangement” as used herein refers to anyarrangement capable of containing a fluid, or allowing a fluid to flowtherethrough.

The fluid carrying arrangement may comprise a fluid chamber. The fluidcalming member may be formed of a sintered metallic material, and may beformed by a solid free form fabrication process, which may compriseselective melting or sintering, such as selective laser or electronmelting or sintering.

The fluid calming member may comprise an inner wall member mounted onthe fluid carrying arrangement wall. Alternatively, the fluid calmingmember may comprise a baffle. Alternatively, the fluid calming membermay comprise a shroud. The fluid carrying arrangement may have aplurality of fluid calming members.

The fluid calming member may be formed of a metal foam material. Thefluid calming member may comprise substantially non-porous regions toallow the fluid calming member to be secured within the space. Lugportions may be provided on the wall of the fluid carrying arrangementat which the fluid calming member can be secured. The lug portions maybe arranged on the wall to be in register with the substantiallynon-porous regions when the inner wall member is secured to the chamberwall.

According to a further aspect of this invention there is provided amethod of forming a fluid calming member, comprising providing a powderof a metallic material and processing the powder into a porous materialto form the fluid calming member.

The step of processing the powder may comprise solid freeformfabrication. The step of processing the powder may comprise sinteringthe material to provide the fluid calming member formed of the porousmaterial. The step of processing the powder may comprise selective laseror electron beam melting or sintering.

The method may include forming substantially non-porous regions in thefluid calming member, at which the fluid calming member can be securedto a chamber wall of a fluid chamber.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a fluidcarrying arrangement comprising a first part and a second part in thefirst part wherein at least one of the first and second parts is adaptedto carry a fluid, and at least one of the first and second parts isformed by a solid free form fabrication process.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided amethod of forming fluid carrying arrangement, comprising providing afirst part and a second part in the first part, wherein at least one ofthe first and second part can to carry a fluid, and the method comprisesforming at least one of the first and second parts by a solid free formfabrication process.

The solid free form fabrication process may comprise a selective meltingor sintering process, such as selective laser or electron melting orsintering.

At least one of the first and second parts may comprise a porousmetallic material. The part comprising the porous metallic material maybe formed by the solid free form fabrication process.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a fluid chamber;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a region of the chamber wall;

FIG. 2A is a close up of the region marked A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a baffle within the chamber;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a first method of forming a fluidcalming device; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a second method for forming a fluidcalming device.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a fluidchamber 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fluid chamber 10 is abearing housing in which a bearing 12 is housed. However, it will beappreciated that the fluid chamber 10 could be any other suitablechamber for containing a fluid 14, or for allowing a fluid 14 to flowtherethrough, such as a conduit or a chamber for a gear coupling, boltsequence or any fluid source of windage element. The fluid flowingthrough or contained in the chamber 10 could be oil or any othersuitable fluid.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the chamber 10 comprises a chamberwall 16 defining a space 17. A fluid calming member in the form of ashroud 18 surrounding the bearing 12 The shroud 18 is formed of a porousmetallic material, such as titanium, and can be a metal foam material ora sintered material formed by a solid free form fabrication process,such as selective laser melting or sintering (see below).

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a further embodiment, similar tothat shown in FIG. 1, in which a fluid calming member in the form of awall member 118 is secured to the chamber wall 16 by lugs 20. The innerwall member 118 defines with the chamber wall 16 a drain zone 22 inwhich the rate of flow of fluid 14 is greatly reduced, thereby reducingheat absorption by the fluid 14. The porous nature of the fluid calmingmember 18 allows fluid to percolate therethrough to the drain zone 22and to flow through the drain zone at a reduced velocity, and minimisere-entrainment into the main chamber.

The region marked A in FIG. 2 is shown in close up in FIG. 2A and it canbe seen that the inner wall member 118 is formed of a porous metallicmaterial such as titanium and may be formed by selective laser meltingor sintering, as mentioned above.

The inner wall member 118 also has a plurality of substantiallynon-porous regions 24 which define countersunk apertures 26 forreceiving a countersunk bolt 28. The non-porous regions 24 are arrangedwithin the fluid calming member 18 such that when the fluid calmingmember 118 is mounted on the chamber wall 16, the non-porous region 24are in register with the lugs 20. As can be seen from FIG. 2A, the lugs20 define a threaded recess 30 in to which the countersunk bolt 28 canbe threadably received thereby securing the fluid calming member 18 tothe chamber wall 16. The countersunk bolt could be a conventional boltor rivet or the fastening means.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a region of the space 17 defined bythe chamber wall 16 in which a fluid calming member in the form of abaffle 218 is provided. The baffle 218, being formed of a porousmetallic material is provided to reduce the velocity of fluid 14striking the baffle 218. The porous nature of the baffle 218 inhibitssplashing of the fluid 14 on striking the baffle 218. This has theadvantage in this embodiment of improving the efficiency as compared toprior art fluid chambers. Thus the fluid 14 flowing through the space 17remains in a calm state.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a first embodiment of a method offorming a fluid calming member.

The method comprises providing a manufacturing compartment 30 withinwhich a laser or electron beam device 32 is provided. A mirror 34 actsto control a beam 36 of laser light or electrons. A work piece 38 isprovided beneath the manufacturing compartment 30 such that the upperportion 40 thereof extends in to the manufacturing compartment 30. Afilm 42 of a titanium powder 43 is provided within the manufacturingcompartment 30 and covers the work piece 38. A supply 44 of the powder43 is provided in which a piston 46 can deliver the powder 43 into themanufacturing compartment 30. The film 42 of the powder 43 is levelledby a levelling device 46. In operation, the vertical position of thework piece 38 is controlled by a height control device 48 which can moveup and down as shown by the arrows A.

The laser or electron beam device 32 transmits a beam of electrons orlaser light at the film 42 of the metallic powder covering the workpiece 38 to sinter the metallic power 42 in a layer on the work piece38. After a layer has been formed, the height control device 48 movesthe work piece downwardly and further powder 42 is then provided overthe work piece 38, and the electron beam device is actuated to produce afurther layer of the material on the work piece 38. This process isrepeated until the fluid calming member has been fully formed from thework piece.

The laser/electron beam device 32 is controlled by an appropriatecomputer controlled system as would be understood by those skilled inthe art.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, many of the features shown in FIG. 4are present, and these have been designated with the same referencenumerals as in FIG. 4. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 comprises asupport platform 50 on which the work piece 38 is provided. A furtherlaser or electron beam device 132 is provided and supported by apositioning and scanning device 134. A powder dispenser 136 is alsosupported by the positioning and scanning device 134. The powderdispenser 136 dispenses a layer of the powder 43 onto the work piece 38for formation into a layer of the work piece 38.

The positioning and scanning device 134 positions the laser or electronbeam device 132 to transmit a beam of laser light or electrons at thework piece after the powder dispenser has dispensed a layer of powder onto the work piece.

After each time that the laser or electron beam device has transmittedthe beam of laser light or electron to sinter the metallic powder 43 toform a further layer of the work piece 38, a further layer of powder 43is dispensed by the powder dispenser 136 onto the work piece 38. This isrepeated until the work piece 38 is fully formed.

When the fluid calming member has been fully formed, it is then arrangedwithin the chamber 10 to provide a wall member, baffle or shroud asdescribed above.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

For example, although in the embodiments described titanium powder isreferred to, it will be appreciated that any suitable material could beemployed instead.

1. A fluid calming member for use in a fluid carrying arrangement,wherein the fluid calming member comprises a porous metallic material.2. A fluid calming member according to claim 1 wherein the fluid calmingmember is formed of a sintered metallic material, formed by a solid freeform fabrication process.
 3. A fluid calming member according to claim 2in the solid free form fabrication process comprises selective meltingor sintering.
 4. A fluid calming member according to claim 2 wherein thesolid free form fabrication process comprises selective laser orelectron melting or sintering.
 5. A fluid calming member according toclaim 1 wherein the fluid calming member comprises an inner wall membermounted on the fluid carrying arrangement wall.
 6. A fluid calmingmember according to claim 1 wherein the fluid calming member comprises abaffle.
 7. A fluid calming member according to claim 1 wherein the fluidcalming member comprises a shroud.
 8. A fluid calming member accordingto claim 1 wherein the fluid calming member is formed of a metal foammaterial, and comprises substantially non-porous regions to allow thefluid calming member to be secured within the fluid carryingarrangement.
 9. A fluid calming member according to claim 8 wherein lugportions are provided on the wall of the fluid carrying arrangement atwhich the fluid calming member can be secured, the lug portions beingarranged on the wall to be in register with the substantially non-porousregions when the inner wall member is secured to the chamber wall.
 10. Afluid carrying arrangement comprising a wall defining a space for afluid, and a fluid calming member as claimed in claim 1 in the space,wherein the fluid calming member comprises a porous metallic material.11. A fluid carrying arrangement according to claim 10 wherein the fluidcarrying arrangement comprises a fluid chamber.
 12. A fluid carryingarrangement according to claim 10 wherein the fluid carrying arrangementhas a plurality of fluid calming members.
 13. A fluid carryingarrangement according to claim 10 wherein lug portions are provided onthe wall at which the fluid calming member can be secured.
 14. A methodof forming a fluid calming member, comprising providing a powder of ametallic material and processing the powder into a porous material toform the fluid calming member.
 15. A method according to claim 14wherein the step of processing the powder may comprise solid freeformfabrication.
 16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the step ofprocessing the powder comprises selective sintering of the material toprovide the fluid calming member formed of the porous material.
 17. Amethod according to claim 14 wherein the step of processing the powdercomprises selective laser or electron beam melting or sintering.
 18. Amethod according to claim 14 wherein the method includes formingsubstantially non-porous regions in the fluid calming member, at whichthe fluid calming member can be secured to a chamber wall of a fluidchamber.
 19. A fluid carrying arrangement comprising a first part and asecond part in the first part wherein at least one of the first andsecond parts is adapted to carry a fluid, and at least one of the firstand second parts is formed by a solid free form fabrication process. 20.A fluid carrying arrangement according to claim 19 wherein the solidfree form fabrication process comprises a selective melting or sinteringprocess.
 21. A fluid carrying arrangement according to claim 19 whereinthe free form fabrication process comprise selective laser or electronbean melting or sintering.
 22. A fluid carrying arrangement according toclaim 19 wherein at least one of the first and second parts comprises aporous metallic material, the part comprising the porous metallicmaterial being formed by the solid free form fabrication process.
 23. Amethod of forming a fluid carrying arrangement, comprising providing afirst part and a second part in the first part, wherein at least one ofthe first and second parts can carry a fluid, and the method comprisesforming at least one of the first and second parts by a solid free formfabrication process.
 24. A method according to claim 23 wherein thesolid free form fabrication process comprises a selective melting orsintering process.
 25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the solidfree form fabrication process comprises selective laser or electron beanmelting or sintering.
 26. A method according to claim 23 wherein atleast one of the first and second parts comprises a porous metallicmaterial, the part comprising the porous metallic material being formedby the solid free form fabrication process.